Sep 12 TRASHION SHOW BY MARINA DEBRIS

Upon entering the Bondi Pavillion I came across 19 other models all busy getting made up, 3 makeup artists, 2 hairstylists and a team of about 8 photographers and videographers. This 'trashion' show would be no small feat and certainly there seemed to be enough people in this room who cared about the issue to be involved that could surely help spread enough awareness of Marina's cause.

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean. It is an astounding figure that continues to rise. Increasing awareness around ocean pollution has become the life work of Bronte based artist Marina Debris. Of that mass, 269,000 tons float on the surface, while some four billion plastic microfibres per square kilometre litter the deep sea.

Marina has been collecting trash from beaches for over a decade. Her mission began 15 years ago when she moved from Bondi Beach to Los Angeles.

"In the beginning I would just pick up stacks of styrofoam cups and bring them to the 7-11, but I soon realised that this wasn't really attacking the root problem. I needed a creative way to draw attention to it. "The whole idea of making beach detritus into art came from the realisation that the waste we create always comes back to haunt us".

Marina Debris collection "Beach Couture: A Haute Mess" is a line of wearable art that has been made from exactly that, ocean pollution. At this year's festival of the winds live models were seen roaming across the festival wearing these unique creations. Using humour Marina hopes to encourage people to rethink their use of disposables and, ultimately reduce waste.

If you're in Sydney, come check out Marina's collection at the art gallery in Bondi Pavillion. For more information on her work you may visit her site here